Projectile, cartridge, and method

ABSTRACT

An incapacitating or disabling projectile and method of forming such, including a longitudinally thick-based plastic cup having a forward open cavity with a soft resilient nose therein, and a weight slug secured in radially symmetrical relation within the cup cavity and at substantially the longitudinal center of mass of the cup and nose. The soft resilient nose mass is injected into the plastic cup and a forwardly extending mold cavity, and cured or otherwise set in situ in the plastic cup. The projectile is launched from a cartridge employing a charge of ignitable propellant powder for propulsion.

United States Patent 1 Young 1 Feb. 6, 1973 PROJECTILE, CARTRIDGE, AND

METHOD [75] Inventor: Robert B. Young, J arrettsville, Md.

[73] Assignee: A A I,Corporation, Cockeysville,

[22] Filed: Dec. SI, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 103,111

UNITED STATES PATENTS F'ORETGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 1,007,227 10/1965 Great Britain ..102 92.?

Primary ExaminerRobert F. Stahl Attorney-Reginald F. Pippin, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An incapacitating or disabling projectile and method of forming such, including a longitudinally thick-based plastic cup having a forward open cavity with a soft resilient nose therein, and a weight slug secured in radially symmetrical relation within the cup cavity and at substantially the longitudinal center of mass of the cup and nose. The soft resilient nose mass is injected into the plastic cup and a forwardly extending mold cavity, and cured or otherwise set in situ in the plastic cup. The projectile is launched from a cartridge employing a charge of ignitable propellant powder for propulsion.

13 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 2,ll2,758 3/1938 Blacker ..l02/92.7 2,820,412 l/l958 Beeuwkes, Jr. ct al..... .....l02/9l X 3,181,465 5/l965 Anthony ..lO2/92.7

Ll 1 E. A

III I I I\ 1 PROJECTILE, CARTRIDGE, AND METHOD This invention relates to projectiles and cartridge arrangements which exhibit the capability of producing short term incapacitation of animals.

It is desirable to provide a projectile or round of ammunition which will enable the incapacitation, desirably short term, of animals, with reasonably good accuracy and range.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a projectile and/or round of ammunition, which will enable a moderately repeatable degree of short term incapacitation of animals byv impact of the projectile with the head of the animal. While lethal impacting may occur in some instances, a substantial extent of non-lethal incapacitation may be obtained with the invention, which has the further feature of providing reasonably good accuracy and range capability.

While there is no universally accepted theory of short term incapacitation from closed head injury or brain concussion, one theory which has been indicated by test studies to have validity is the hypothesis that temporary incapacitation may be effected by sudden rotation of the head causing shear stresses within its soft material (brain, etc.) contents, due to the inertial effect of these soft materials. Tests have indicated that the concussion threshold may be related to the angular velocity of of the animals head, and in addition have indicated that impact-induced head rotations appear to cause concussions and short term incapacitation at lower head rotation or angular velocities than non-impact induced rotations, such as those caused by whip lash action on the head. These test results tend to indicate that maximum transfer of momentum by projectile impact is desirable for most effective non-lethal incapacitation, as distinguished from maximum energy transfer.

While a projectile with excellent momentum transfer characteristics may be formed of a mass of very soft material of very low elasticity, such as Duxseal sealing plastic material or other easily deformable material of substantial plasticity such as putty or dough, these materials do not readily lend themselves to ease of launching, accuracy, or any substantial degree of effective range, as their desirable property of substantial plasticity renders them deformable during launch and travel such as to render impractical their use in a standard projectile launching system such as a launching barrel and a cartridge employing an ignitable propellant charge.

While velocity decay rate of a rigid fin stabilized rod projectile is relatively superior, and the accuracy much better, this is not a desirable construction in that it tends to maximize energy transfer on impact, as distinguished from momentum transfer, and tends to penetrate easily on impact, which is not desirable for non-lethal incapacitation. Spherical configurations suffer from very large velocity decay rate, and tend to exhibit erratic flights.

The present invention incorporates a bluntly curved nosebullet configuration for a projectile and employs a construction which enables the use of a relatively soft resilient nose for desired momentum transfer, while being capable of being launched through a rifled barrel by means of the propulsive gases from a propellant charge, to thereby provide good spin stabilized accuracy, ease of launching and generally predictable impact velocities at relatively extended ranges. The bluntly curved nose is a compromise between the desired widest surface area of initial impact for minimized initial impact pressure and the desired minimum nose taper angle so as to aid in minimizing velocity decay rate.

Still other objects, features and attendant advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially cut away, of a projectile according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of a cartridge with a projectile according to the invention, and chambered for firing through a rifled barrel.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a mold arrangement for aid in making the projectile of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawing, a preferred embodiment of a projectile 11 has a cup 21 formed of plastic, such as low density polyethylene. Cup 21 includes a relatively thick base 23 and relatively thin side walls 25. The relatively long or thick base 23 effectively locates the forward wall 23a of the base near and slightly forward of the longitudinal center of cup 21.

Disposed within and at the base of the cup-shaped recess or cavityformed by the annular wall 25 and wall 27, is a mass-increasing slug 41, which preferably takes the form of a disc of metal, such as steel. Slug disc 41 is secured to the cup 21 by two parallel radially symmetrically disposed steel pins 51 press fit into both the cup base 23 and the disc 41. The positive securing of the disc 41 to the cup 21 ensures that the disc 41 will have full rotation imparted thereto by the cup 21.

Formed in. and extending forwardly from the recess or cavity formed within annular cup wall 25 and the front surface of disc 41 is a nose mass 31 of soft resilient and elastic material such as RTV silicone rubber, having a durometer within the range of approximately 30-50, and preferably within the range of approximately 35-45. The soft resilient nose 31 has the purpose of enabling a transfer of momentum to the head of an animal to a substantial extent, over a distributed area and over a distributed time period with desirably low. impact force rise slope such as to minimize impact contact stress level, and thereby effect sufficient momentum transfer to the target animals head to cause abrupt angular movement of the head to an extent to temporarily disable, incapacitate, or stun the animal from its normal state or capacity, preferably without lethal or irreversible damage. To this end the soft nose is bluntly rounded, as noted heretofore, thus providing a relatively flat initial nose impact surface, and early wide area surface contact after impact, which in combination with the soft resilient property of the nose material, enables relatively good momentum transfer, as distinguished from energy transfer.

The soft nose would alone be undesirably deformed by propellant gases if unprotected along a substantial portion of its length. Annular wall 25 serves as a radial compression-resisting means to prevent radially outward deformation of the main cylindrical rear mass 33 nose 31 due to setback forces during firing and travel along a barrel bore.

Y The projectile 21 is spin stabilized for accuracy, and the cup 23 serves the added purpose and function of acting as a rifling band which engages the rifling of a rifled bore barrel. The radial depth of the rifling is substantially less than the thickness of annular wall 25, and accordingly the resultant shallow helical grooving caused by the forward travel engagement of the cup with the rifling does not destroy the radial compressive resisting dual function of the annular cup wall 25.

Projectile 11 is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2 as a part of a cartridge including a case 61 having a base 63 and an annular projectile-receiving side wall 65 within the forward bore of which is mounted the projectile 11 as'by a light press fit. Projectile 11 is seated against the forward wall 63b of case base 63, and the exposed rounded nose end 35a extends beyond the end of the case annular wall 65 to partially seat into the rifled bore 73. A propellant charge 64 isdisposed within a small diameter bore 63a, and is flash fired by a standard percussion primer 67, in turn fired by impacting of a firing pin 83 thereon.

As has been noted above, the disc slug 4] is employed to increase the mass of the projectile 11, without increase in size, while enabling the use of relatively low density materials for the cup 23 and nose mass 31. The'RTV silicone rubber and the low density polyethylene each have a relatively low density of approximately 0.04 pounds per cubic inch. in this respect,

a further property and function of the cup wall 25 is to becapable of relative ease ofcolumnar collapse on impact. Also, in the interest of projectile flight stability, it is desirable that the center of mass of the projectile not be far rearward, and thus the rear material should not be markedly of greater density than the generally low density for the particular soft elastic nose mass material. As will be noted, the disc slug 41 is located at approximately the longitudinal center of mass of projectile 21, which, with both the cup 23 and nose 31 of generally similar density, results in the disc slug 41 being at approximately the longitudinal center of the projectile.

The mass increase provided by the relatively high density metal disc slug 41 is desirable rather than increasingthe velocity of the projectile, as increase in mass (while using the soft resilient nose 31) effects increase in momentum .transfer, whereas increase in velocity results in undesirable increase in energy transfer, and thereby reduces the normal tendency to penetrate or lethally fracture the skull of the animal upon impact.

in tests conducted with the invention, primates have been incapacitated with a moderate degree of success, using a mm projectile having a total mass of 10.4

I grams, and impacting at velocities within a range of approximately 440 to 500 feet per second. While some degree of skull fracture tends to occur in all cases of incapacitation, the tests conducted with this projectile construction and weight at these velocities showed a regaining ofconsciousness within a relatively short time, as of the order-of three to twenty minutes, with indication oflikelihood of full recovery.

The projectile 11 may be suitably formed through the use of an injection mold as indicated at 201, 211 in FIG. 3. Mold 201 has formed therein a cavity including a cylindrical section formed by wall'203c and aconnecting hemispherical section formed by wall 203r.

After press fit securing metal disc slug or plate 41 and pins 51 within cup 21, the assembled cup 21 unit is inserted within the complementary cylindrical section 203c of the mold cavity, thereby forming a cavity C bounded by hemispherical mold cavity wall 203r, the annular wall 25 of cup 21, and the forward wall surface of disc slug 41.

An injection orifice 223 is formed in the center of wall 203r, and a valved nozzle 221 is suitably connected between the mold part 201 and a suitable pressurizable source of settable or curable material, which has the desired soft resilient nose mass properties when set or cured. Essentially sprueless injection flow control may be provided by an axially movable flow control valve 225. 1

It will'be noted that the hemispherical cavity wall 203r forms a stepless continuation with the cylindrical cavity wall 203a, and thus the exterior surface of the projectile as formed by the cup 23 and the in situ molded nose 31 is smooth and stepless, thereby enhancing the flight characteristics of the projectile.

While the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a single illustrative embodiment, it will apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by the particular illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

I 1. A spin-stabilized projectile for projection through and from a rifled barrel, comprising a cup of plastic material and having a cavity formed therein and open at its forward end,

said cup having a base section rearward of said cavity, the forward wall of said base section forming the rear wall of said cavity,

a slug of materially greater density than said plastic material and being secured within said cup cavity against said rear wall of said cavity,

and a forward nose comprising a massof soft resilient material disposed in said cavity forwardly of said slu 2. A grojectile according to claim 1,

said forward nose mass being a length greater than the length of said cavity and extending forwardly beyond the end of said cup.

3. A projectile according to claim 2,

said slug having a materially greater density than each of said plastic cup material and said soft resilient nose material,

said slug being disposed at substantially the longitudinal center of mass of the overall projectile.

4. A projectile according to claim 3,

said soft resilient nose material being elasticand having a durometer in the range of approximately 30- 50.

5. A projectile according to claim 4,

said slug being a disc of metal.

6. A projectile according to claim 5,

said nose having a rounded forward end.

7. A projectile according to claim 6, I

said rounded noseend having a circumference substantially equal to the outer circumference of the forward end of said cup at the junction zone between the forward end of the cup and the soft resilient nose.

8. A projectile according to claim 1,

and securing means securing said slug to said cup to aid in preventing or minimizing relative rotation between said slug and said cup.

9. A projectile according to claim 8,

said securing means comprising at least one pin extending between said cup and said slug.

10. A projectile according to claim 9,

said securing means comprising two laterally symmetrically spaced pins extending longitudinally through and press fit within each of said slug and said cup base forward wall.

ll. A'projectile according to claim 1,

said forward nose mass being a molded-and-curedin-place mass formed within said cavity.

12. A spin-stabilized projectile for projection through and from a rifled barrel, comprising a plastic cup open at its forward end, asoft resilient nose disposed in said cup and protruding beyond said open end,

and a mass of material of materially greater density than said cup plastic and said soft resilient nose, said greater density mass being disposed radially symmetrically of said cup and nose, and being disposed at approximately the longitudinal center of mass of said projectile. 13. A cartridge for firing in a rifled barrel, comprising a case a primer in said case, a charge of propellant in said case, 7 and a spin-stabilized projectile carried by said case forwardly of said charge of propellant, said projectile comprising a plastic cup open at its forward end, a soft resilient nose disposed in said cup and protruding beyond said open end, and a mass of material of materially greater density than said cup plastic and said soft resilient nose, said greater density mass being disposed radially symmetrically of said cup and nose, and being disposed at approximately the longitudinal center of mass of said projectile. 

1. A spin-stabilized projectile for projection through and from a rifled barrel, comprising a cup of plastic material and having a cavity formed therein and open at its forward end, said cup having a base section rearward of said cavity, the forward wall of said base section forming the rear wall of said cavity, a slug of materially greater density than said plastic material and being secured within said cup cavity against said rear wall of said cavity, and a forward nose comprising a mass of soft resilient material disposed in said cavity forwardly of said slug.
 1. A spin-stabilized projectile for projection through and from a rifled barrel, comprising a cup of plastic material and having a cavity formed therein and open at its forward end, said cup having a base section rearward of said cavity, the forward wall of said base section forming the rear wall of said cavity, a slug of materially greater density than said plastic material and being secured within said cup cavity against said rear wall of said cavity, and a forward nose comprising a mass of soft resilient material disposed in said cavity forwardly of said slug.
 2. A projectile according to claim 1, said forward nose mass being a length greater than the length of said cavity and extending forwardly beyond the end of said cup.
 3. A projectile according to claim 2, said slug having a materially greater density than each of said plastic cup material and said soft resilient nose material, said slug being disposed at substantially the longitudinal center of mass of the overall projectile.
 4. A projectile according to claim 3, said soft resilient nose material being elastic and having a durometer in the range of approximately 30-50.
 5. A projectile according to claim 4, said slug being a disc of metal.
 6. A projectile according to claim 5, said nose having a rounded forward end.
 7. A projectile according to claim 6, said rounded nose end having a circumference substantially equal to the outer circumference of the forward end of said cup at the junction zone between the forward end of the cup and the soft resilient nose.
 8. A projectile according to claim 1, and securing means securing said slug to said cup to aid in preventing or minimizing relative rotation between said slug and said cup.
 9. A projectile according to claim 8, said securing means comprising at least one pin extending between said cup and said slug.
 10. A projectile according to claim 9, said securing means comprising two laterally symmetrically spaced pins extending longitudinally through and press fit within each of said slug and said cup base forward wall.
 11. A projectile according to claim 1, said forward nose mass being a molded-and-cured-in-place mass formed within said cavity.
 12. A spin-stabilized projectile for projection through and from a rifled barrel, comprising a plastic cup open at its forward end, a soft resilient nose disposed in said cup and protruding beyond said open end, and a mass of material of materially greater density than said cup plastic and said soft resilient nose, said greater density mass being disposed radially symmetrically of said cup and nose, and being disposed at approximately the longitudinal center of mass of said projectile. 